


escape from reality

by xxprincessxx



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, tiniest bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24649060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxprincessxx/pseuds/xxprincessxx
Summary: Senior year means acceptance and rejection letters, it means thinking about your future, and where you'll be headed come graduation. On a late night excursion to their favourite diner in town, Ricky and Nini worry about what their future holds for them.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 13
Kudos: 73





	escape from reality

**Author's Note:**

> i've been working on a couple of big things that i haven't really worked on a smaller one shot, so i hope you all enjoy this short one i quickly wrote up!

“I’m outside.” Nini’s voice rings through Ricky’s phone.   
  
The boy nods despite his best friend not able to see him, “Give me a minute.” He responds, before hanging up going around his room looking for the sweater he knew Nini was going to need. He could see her through his window standing at the end of his driveway, she was clad in a loose t-shirt and a pair of leggings and her arms were crossed over her chest, an obvious indicator that she was cold.  
  
Whenever Nini showed up at his house at strange hours of the night, she constantly seemed to forget her sweater. He wonders why she kept forgetting, but decided not to comment. He secretly loved seeing her wear his sweaters, but each time he gave them to her, he never got them back.   
  
Climbing out of his window stealthily and scaling down the wall that he’s done a handful times, having done it a lot in that past year. Ever since senior year started, it has become more frequent for Ricky and Nini to be found sneaking out of their houses at obscene hours of the night. The pair desperately in need of an escape from the realities of growing up, college, and what the future held for either of them.   
  
It was April, and in just a couple short months they were going to be graduating and heading off to hopefully their top choice; their acceptance, or rejection, letters should be coming in any day now. Nini’s being UCLA, and Ricky just a short drive away at SoCal University. Did Ricky secretly take Nini’s choice under consideration? Definitely, but he would never tell her that. He still worked as hard as he could to get into SoCal finding an amazing architecture program.   
  
As Ricky’s feet plant on the floor perfectly, thankful that he didn’t hurt his ankle like he had done a couple weeks ago, his foot having slipped and had to lie to his dad that it was a skateboarding accident. It wasn’t exactly his best moment, he admits, but Nini was having a particularly rough day so he brushed the pain away until the following day not telling the brunette how much pain he was really in.   
  
He throws his sweater at her, “I hate that you walk here by yourself, you know?” He greets.  
  
Ever since they started sneaking out at night, it was more common that he would be the one showing up at her house. But on other nights, like tonight, Nini had insisted she’d be fine only being a short 5-minute walk between their houses, and she was already turning on his street when she had called. It was her little trick, she knew how much Ricky refused to let her walk to his house on her own, she would always call when she was nearly there. One of the things that truly annoyed him about the girl.  
  
He watches as she rolls her eyes, and pulls on the hoodie he had given her. He lets out a low chuckle as he watches the sweater engulf her, reaching to her mid-thigh a little big on her. “Also, are you starting a Ricky sweater collection or something? I’m starting to run out of sweaters.”   
  
Nini scoffs, “Excuse you. You’re the one that gives them to me.”   
  
“To borrow.” He argues, grabbing her hand pulling her down the street to the 24/7 diner they frequent, in the plaza right outside of their neighbourhood.   
  
The brunette girl laughs, swinging their intertwined hands twirling herself around, dancing to the silence that filled the night. “I’m your best friend, why don’t you just steal them back?” She smiles widely at the boy, as she continues to dance down the street, dragging Ricky to dance right alongside her.   
  
Ricky scrunches his nose, putting his other hand on the small of her back, positioning them in a lazy ballroom hold. “You hide them from me!” He jokes, knowing that the smaller girl keeps them somewhere he can never find each time he comes over.   
  
There was a glint in the brunette’s eyes, she was smiling with her eyes causing the corners to crinkle at the ends. It was something she despised, but he loved when they did. It meant that she was happy. With the stress of their future up in the air, he hasn’t seen them as much as he’d like, so he couldn’t help but return a soft smile as he knocks his forehead into hers for a second.   
  
“You just have to look harder, I guess.” She mutters, as she moves out of his hold twirling herself around once more.   
  
“Well, as long as I get them before we move away for college.” He blurts out, not realizing what he was saying until after he had said it.   
  
Nini sucks in a sharp breath, her smile instantly dropping and sadness filling her eyes once more. “Ricky!” She reprimands quite upset, smacking their intertwined hands into his stomach.   
  
He wraps his arms around her in a hug in apology, “I know, Nini. I know.”   
  
“They come in this week.” She mutters as they reach the diner, mentioning their college acceptance (or rejection) letters.  
  
Ricky presses a small kiss to her cheek, before opening the door to the diner letting her walk in first. He follows behind her quietly, “Are you scared?” He asks, once they sit down in their usual booth.   
  
“What do you think?” She sends him a knowing look.  
  
Lucy, their waitress, a part-time college student that they’ve gotten to know the past few months having been their waitress each time they came in, came by their table interrupting the conversation. She notes the tension between the two friends, realizing they were having the same conversation that they were having last week. She places a gentle hand on Nini’s shoulder, “I’ll bring out the usual, and it’s on me tonight guys.”  
  
Before either of them could protest, the ginger woman lifted her other hand to signal the pair that there was no point in arguing. “I’ve been there, if you’ve forgotten. It’s stressful I know, but whatever happens, whether you get into your dream school or not, everything will be okay.” She nods one last time, squeezing the brunette’s shoulder before making her way back into the kitchen.  
  
Silence falls on the pair once more, taking in the words the older woman had said. It was both comforting and nerve-wracking at the same time. The pair both knew what it meant if they both got into those LA schools, and they also knew what it meant if one of them did and the other didn’t, and they just weren’t ready to have that conversation.  
  
Quietly, Ricky places his hand, palm facing up, on the table. Without thinking, Nini places her hand in his, while her other hand plays with the end of his sleeve. The pair didn’t utter a word, deciding to just embrace the silence, their intertwined hands giving them a sense of comfort whilst they thought about the future.  
  
After a few minutes Lucy returned with their food and drinks. Their order came a lot faster than it would during regular hours, Nini and Ricky weren’t surprised at the speed, seeing as that they were the only customers at 2AM. A plate of fries was placed down in between them, and a chocolate and a cake batter milkshake with an extra glass, the pair loved to mix the two despite their friends who constantly tell them how gross it was.  
  
“Thanks, Luce.” Ricky smiles at the waitress. She sends them one last smile, before making her way back to her spot in the corner where she had a bunch of her books set out, allowing her to study whenever she had the chance.  
  
Carefully, Ricky pour half of each milkshake into the empty glass, using one of the straws to mix them together, but only circling it around once or twice. They’ve finally mastered the perfection to their drink, they learned that when they mixed it together too much it just didn’t taste the same. But maybe it was just all in their head.  
  
Nini dips a fry into the drink, popping it in her mouth looking at the curly-haired man in front of her. “I want to say yes.” She starts.  
  
“I know, Nins.” He copies her motion. “We both agreed that we’d wait to see where we get accepted to before deciding.”  
  
A few weeks ago, just about a week after Nini’s birthday, Ricky and Nini were heading home from the diner. Ricky had insisted to drop Nini off at her house, not wanting her to walk home on her own. For a long time, they both harboured feelings that went beyond friendship but neither had ever acted on it. Maybe it was in fear. Fear of rejection, fear of losing their best friend, fear of ruining everything. But that night, there was a moment after their usual hug good night, neither of them pulling further away. Rather, they started leaning in closer.  
  
As soon as their lips brushed against the other, they couldn’t stand it anymore. Ricky pulled Nini’s head in, kissing the girl softly tangling his fingers into her hair. While Nini fisted her hands into his hoodie, in the spot where her hands rested around his back when they were hugging a few moments earlier. The kiss was full of love and felt like they’ve waited forever for it to happen.  
  
But when they pulled back, no matter how happy they were, they both knew they couldn’t. Not yet at least. Instead of rejecting the other, because they both knew that wasn’t what they wanted. Ricky quietly suggests, their foreheads still touching as he spoke between them, _“I want you to be my girlfriend, but maybe after we know we’re both going to LA.”_  
  
His best friend couldn’t help but smile up at him, her eyes soft as she took in every word he uttered. She leans up pressing a kiss, maybe their last one for a few months or a few years, they weren’t really sure of the answer to that. Despite it not really being a question, but they both knew that it was, this was Nini’s silent way of saying yes.

The brunette girl sighs, looking down at the table. “I’m scared.” She whispers.  
  
Ricky frowns looking at the small girl, “Don’t be. We’ll be okay.” He takes a hold of her hand once more, running his thumb along her knuckles.  
  
She shakes her head in protest, “I don’t know how to believe you.”  
  
“I know, Nins. I know.” He says quietly. “If not now, then maybe in a few years.”  
  
The brunette pouts, “Don’t say that. I don’t want to think of that. You’re going to get in.” She kicks him lightly underneath the table, not happy with the negative ‘if’ in his sentence.  
  
Tightening his hold on her hand, as his other hand comes up to cradle her jaw running his thumb along her cheek lovingly. “You’re going to get in, so you have nothing to worry about.” She bites her lip nervously, “I have everything to worry about.” She says quietly.  
  
Lifting the hand he was holding to his lips, pressing a few gentle kisses to her knuckles. “You mean so much to me.” He whispers against her hand.  
  
It was their way of telling the other that they love each other, both not ready to say the three little words. It was easier to say when they were just friends, but now that their relationship was a little bit more than that, and was waiting on two letters that could change everything, it wasn’t so easy. So, they stuck to something that reigned true, and didn’t hurt to admit it.  
  
“You mean the world to me.” She responds.  
  
“Now,” Ricky utters, pressing one last kiss to her hand before placing it back down on the table, “We should probably finish this up before our parents start wondering where we are.”  
  
Nini chuckles, popping another fry into her mouth, “And who’s fault was it that we got caught last time?” She teases.  
  
“Shut up, Nins” Ricky rolls his eyes, as he steals the milkshake to take a rather large sip.  
  
The rest of the night was spent joking about their day, and whatever came up in their mind. Nights like these were their favourite, it was the time they got to spend together without caring about the rest of the world. When they were together late at night, it felt like they were escaping from reality. Constantly bringing something that they couldn’t find in anyone else – a love that ran deeper than the surface. A timeless, endless love. Willing to wait however long it takes, because it’s worth it.   
  
Later that week, their letters had come in. Ricky got rejected by SoCal University, while Nini got accepted to UCLA. What Nini didn’t know was that Ricky applied to UCLA as a backup and got in. It wasn’t exactly how they pictured their future, but they were by each other’s sides and it was better than they could’ve imagined.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you all liked it! leave a kudos and a comment bc they truly keep me going lol
> 
> you can follow me on twitter @xxprincesskels OR tumblr @nini-ricky
> 
> i do take requests, but i can't guarantee i will get to them all, but i love getting them and they inspire some of my other stuff!
> 
> anyways, i hope you are all doing well and staying safe.
> 
> all love for everyone single one of you xx


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